Washington (CNN) - Activists advocating congressional representation for the District of Columbia had a clear message at a rally Saturday in Washington: "President Obama, stand up for D.C."

Several hundred residents gathered Saturday morning at a rally organized by D.C. Vote, a voting-rights organization. The rally was a response to legislative moves by the U.S. House of Representatives to restrict the city's use of local tax revenue, demanding the right for representation in Congress and fighting for the right to statehood.FULL POST